Can I use the Shadow Step feature to effectively teleport into a Darkness spell I cast upon myself?

Question

I cannot find anything that specifically says I’m unable to accomplish the combo I have in mind, but it seems incredibly broken so please tell me otherwise.

If I take 2 levels of Warlock (picking up the Devil’s Sight eldritch invocation) and 6 levels of Shadow Monk to gain the Shadow Step feature, I should now be able to cast the Darkness spell atop myself, move my complete movement, and then use a bonus action to move another 15 feet (Radius of Darkness) through Shadow Step. So I can effectively increase my movement by an additional 15 feet a turn, with advantage on the first attack too.

Is my interpretation correct? Is this possible within the rules?

Answer 1

Yes, you can do this, with a caveat

The Way of Shadow monk's Shadow Step feature (PHB, p. 80) says:

When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.

The warlock's Devil's Sight eldritch invocation says:

You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

The darkness spell says

Magical darkness spreads from a point you choose [...] to fill a 15-foot-radius sphere [...] A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness [...]

Since your invocation is more specific than the general rule laid out in darkness, you are able to see into the darkness... though the invocation gives no benefits for merely dim light. See this other question/answer for more detail.

Your monk's ability works with any darkness you can see. Since you can see into this darkness, yes, you can Shadow Step in to your own magical darkness.

Is this broken? I don't think so. It requires you be at least an 8th-level character, and sacrifice a full 8-level progression in Way of Shadow monk in order to get 2 levels of warlock, which give you very little else that you're interested in. You also have to expend a spell slot to do it, and give up the extra attack(s) that you'd get from your bonus action as a monk.

Answer 2

Yes, that works.

Shadow Step:

At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.

Moving from one point inside the area of effect of darkness to another meets the criteria for this ability (you and the space you are moving to are both in darkness), so there's no reason that Shadow Step can't work this way.

Note, however:

• If you are making a melee attack against an opponent who can't see in darkness, you will already have advantage on the attack, so that part of the Shadow Step ability is wasted.
• A significant amount of a monk's potency in combat comes from using their bonus action to make additional attacks. Effectively you are giving that up in order to move an additional fifteen feet.